What I'm enjoying the most so far is the large departure from the comics. Though I've only read Volume 1 cover to cover, I know bits and pieces of the other (11?) in the series and I like that the show bothers to be different.

It takes some of the plots from later parts within the comic series and implements them with original ideas/characters for the Show. It's brilliant. What a great example of GOOD comic book adaptation. If only they could have gotten this right with Birds of Prey or Blue Beetle LOL!

"Significant"? I'm not sure I understand the use of the word in your sentence?

You mean significant to the plot? I don't really think I was talking about measuring the significance of the changes the show made, but rather that it counts for something that they have done so.

And I can think of one incredibly significant change that they went with on the show, and while there is still time to do it, it's very important to the book that it happens right off the bat. It seems in the show they're drawing that out, which is smarter.

Yeah. They're clearly milking that one, but unless they don't go through with it at all, I don't see it as any significant departure yet. They are sticking to the general direction and characterizations, and those of us who know what'll happen from the books will, I am confident, see that in some form in the show. If it strays too far, it's safe to say I will lose interest.

Meddle not with the heartstrings of fans, for we are powerful and hold your pursestrings.

I wasn't saying straying from the original plot/characterizations was a good idea. I think keeping close to it is the only way to make the show work, being the comic has so many readers now and unlike a super hero story, the plot is very fun and applicable to other media forms.

And my friends who have read every comic are still impressed/surprised/on-edge each episode because they change things up enough that you're not sure what's coming.

They were impressed with the order of events and how they shook up the viewers by throwing a monkey in the wrench in terms of things happening in different seasons/out of order of how they do in the comics.

Total "Taxi Driver" moment there in tonight's episode. I actually missed the first five minutes so I was totally shocked at the end. In hindsight, they probably shouldn't have bookended it like that 'cause it kinda telegraphs the end, imo.

I really like it, and I'm digging the differences between the show and book. And I love Daryl. Have I said that already? Because I totally do. He's my favorite redneck evar now!

However; this "Talking Dead" show is friggin' stupid. I want to fix that guy's hair so badly... and the rest of this is just super lame... These celebrities are not professionals. The professionals are not people who look pretty and sit around and play "Left 4 Dead" video games. The "professionals" would be Max Brooks, Romero, Kirkman, Moore, etc...

******POTENTIAL SPOILERS*****
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*I'm glad they're giving him some background for being a ruthless ass hole in the TV series. I under stood why he was shot at the end of the first volume, by Rick's son of all people, but the TV series is trying to make it a little more understandable. I always felt the gun shot was out of the blue. He was angry and he was in hysterics, who doesn't get like that during the zombie apocalypse? And Rick had put Shane down before and taken his gun away from him, why couldn't he do it then? I genuinely felt, when reading it, like I was missing something. But I had dismissed it as I do with a lot of the points in the comic series. I chalk it up to the perspective the story is written in, and the lack of information around the characters contributing to the lack of information to the readers. The reader should be just as confused/scared as the characters in the comic. You need to have a little more subtext in a TV series.

I haven't watched last night's episode, so maybe I have to eat my words here, but ... are you guys saying you like this second season?

I'm not loving it. It seems like a lot of talking and a lot of breaking their own rules (can the walkers smell living flesh or can't they?) while exploiting overused apocalypse story tropes. The first season was way more surprising and interesting.

The good news is that if there ever is a zombie apocalypse, I'm in the right medical specialty. Stick with the veterinarians, they always survive.

I think the first episode was a lot to swallow, and I admit I was concerned about the rule bending.

But you know what I realized? It's a show about zombies (re-animated corpses that feed on flesh) taking over the planet. Not sure if I can really slam a show that really shouldn't be taken so seriously.

Besides, this "staff infection" T-Bone got after the cut still has time to become a different kind of infection if the writers are doing their jobs and trolling boards for feedback.

Also, they crapped out like 6 of the writers of Season 1 and replaced 'em.

Heroes Season 2 all over again. I'm not sure where I am for sure.... but Sunday's episode was a thrill and a half.

I liked this last episode. But early on when Daryl fell down that embankment, I thought 'if they kill him I'm not going to watch it anymore' since he's (so far) turning out to be one of my favorite characters.

And then he walked out of the woods.......

Needless to say, I was not amused ....(but I'm glad I didn't turn it off then.)

So, I have a question.
If walkers are attracted to gunshots, why wouldn't they be attracted to the sound of the really old beat up generator they had?

I figure a Gun Shot makes a very loud bang, the generator makes a sorta loud hum. And most importantly, the bang is a short, terrifyig, blast. Very alerting. The hum... draws attentio sure, but like Hershel says...

"I wanna be the one to deal with walkers..." >_>

Glad to see they're following the comic finally (with the Farm). The symbolism in that story arc is really interesting.

And I said the same thing to my girl during the show. I said "Is it me... or is Darryl more the 'hero' now than Rick and/or Shane?" Everyone cheers him on. He's such a great character. I hope to see him in more stuff after this. (The actor, rather).

Last night's episode was good too. Like 'Dexter', it took until about the 3/4th episode of the season for me to get really interested.

There is some interesting and even daring writing. For instance - giving Daryl is hero's journey story arc. They could have just kept him as stereotypical redneck muscle - good for fighting and not much else. The fact that he comes off as a rich and complex character while STILL crouching in the woods eating squirrel meat is pretty impressive.

However, I was really disappointed in the way the writer's chickened out on having what's her name kill him as he walked out of the woods. I mean, that would have been SO ballsy to spent so much time lovingly building such an unlikely hero only to have him die by friendly fire. I've come to like the character too and it's really disappointing to see the writers pull their punch like that. (Though it may, of course be a lead up to something even cooler happening - you never know.)

But you know what I realized? It's a show about zombies (re-animated corpses that feed on flesh) taking over the planet. Not sure if I can really slam a show that really shouldn't be taken so seriously.

I'm not taking it that seriously. But I think when you are writing in any kind of science fiction/fantasy/horror genre in which we have things that don't exist in the real world, the audience is even more dependent on the rules. It's the rules that determine the world in which the story takes place and when they get broken it is even more jarring.

So, breaking the rules with the noise factor? I get it - the writers need to present the farm house as a place of civilization therefore it needs electricity and running water. The "zombies are attracted to sound" rule can be bent in the name of establishing setting. However, the whole story is about how people live when their very existence is threatened by zombies that can do certain things and have certain limitations. Changing those limitations midstream actually takes a way from the story.

The one thing I am starting to like about season 2 is there are not a lot of zombies. They're there, but the story has started to focus on interpersonal relationships and how people change when their world is shattered which is also the most interesting thing about the comic.

However, I was really disappointed in the way the writer's chickened out on having what's her name kill him as he walked out of the woods. I mean, that would have been SO ballsy to spent so much time lovingly building such an unlikely hero only to have him die by friendly fire. I've come to like the character too and it's really disappointing to see the writers pull their punch like that. (Though it may, of course be a lead up to something even cooler happening - you never know.)

I think AMC does have balls to do things like that, and you see it in their shows like "Breaking Bad". Holy crap, that show does not hold back any punches.

And you're right, Season 2 is finally getting to that point where you FORGET it's a zombie show, and then when the zombies do come up, it's terrifying. Instead of the whole zombie concept being (pun intended?) beaten to death.

I knew they were headed that direction, and as you can see, they're setting up for the part in the comic when Shane gets shot by Carl. It's being getting pretty intense.

ALSO -- I <3'd the final few moments. Between Hershel losing hope and falling to his knees as everything he believed is shattered before him, (the faith that kept him going), you then see his other dirty secret...

How long do you think she was in the barn? Do you think he put her in there, or do you think she found her way to it and hid their for safety... not expecting there were Walkers in that barn.